Alice Human Sacrifice
by Pikori-Chan
Summary: At their mothers business banquet, an unsettling occurence causes Rin and Len to fall into the pages of a book, taking them to Wonderland. Now they're caught in a game of survival in order to try to find a way home. Len's POV. T for Safety
1. Down the Rabbit Hole?

_**My First story! This is based off of the Vocaloids' Alice Human Sacrifice. I dont own Vocaloid or any NicoNico productions. Any song lyrics used are by Rockleetist on Youtube. This is a fan based story. Please comment and Review! ^.^**_

I wonder where she is. She has a bad habit of running off and leaving me to take the damage. How could she be such a coward? No matter..she's not leaving me this time. I tried looking in her usual hiding spots but still nothing. I'm running out of time. Our aunts will arrive soon and mothers banquet will begin.

I took a turn down the grand hallway. There I passed the portraits of our three cousins: Meiko Sakine, Kaito Shion and Miku Hatsune. Obviously our names are different due to marriges. Rin and I never really met Meiko and Kaito but we used to play with Miku a lot. We were all pretty different, hair styles, favorite colors, hobbies, but the one thing that the three of _them_ all have in common is that they each mysteriously disappeared around the same time every couple of years. Luckily, Rin and I are still here. This week is actually the anniversary of their disappearances, but mother is in denile of it due to her party.

"Onee-Chan!" I called again. Only this time, instead of being greeted with silence, I heard a giggle. About time. But where was it coming from? The Library? I wouldnt be surprised. It's the only place I havn't looked yet.

I poked my head in through the open doors. No sign of her..yet. Stepping in and quietly closing the doors I headed into the jungle of text that filled the room. I can only assume she would be in the twelve years or younger section, even though we're fourteen. Ever since we were kids she always talked about fighting pirates in Neverland and traveling Europe with Thomas O'mally. I myself have expanded into a broader selection of books such as _Lord of the Flies, The Green Mile,_ and of course, the original _Alice in Wonderland._ Rin and I have always loved that book, but the original is much more..darker than the fluff that she's read for years. I tried to get her to read it once but when she opened up to the picture of the Jabberwocky, she screamed and threw the book across the room. Never touched it again.

I turned the corner and there she was, sitting on the floor reading _Alice and Wonderland_, our rabbit, Shiori, nestled in her lap. I sighed and walked over to her, leaning on the shelf half my size. " You know mother dosn't appreciate it when you bring Shiori in the house."

"So? He wanted to see the library."

"I'm sure he did.." Try passing that excuse past Mother. "Anyways, let's go. If we're not at the banquet, Mother will throw a five star fit."

"Hey, Len? What does a Dodo bird look like?"

Is she even listening! "It looks like you when you first wake up in the morning."

She gave off an adorable pout and stuck her tongue out at me. Honestly, it's like I'm talking to a two year old. "Let's go, Rin!"

"But I don't want to!" She complained. "I mean look at us! Gray Overalls? Aprons and ties! It's like she dressed us to match our aunts' horrible taste in clothes! Why can't we wear what we want?"

"Because our clothes all have stains and holes in them from the garden. We only have to wear these for a few hours so lets get it over with. Put Shiori back in his cage and come on."

"Alright, already!" She answered. I only sighed and flipped through my copy of Alice as she cleaned up the books that she had scattered on the floor.

Suddenly a clap of thunder echoed through the house. Rin jumped to her feet as some of the books shuddered and fell off of the shelves. How could the first clap of a storm be so powerful? Further more, It's suppose to be nice and sunny. Why is the weather acting up?

"Shiori, wait!" Rin took off running. Our white rabbit had bolted through the Library's halls and out the door. How did it get open? I closed my book and ran after her as fast as I could, hoping not to lose her.

They turned left after exiting the Library. I followed, catching up at a good pace. Left, Left, Straight, Right, Left, Straight. It's as if Shirori knew where he was going! I practically ran into Rin as she stopped in one of the outerhalls of the house. She was looking out a large bay window with bewildered eyes at the sight below.

The winds were strong. They were toppling over the dozens of tables and chairs. Decorative cakes and pasteries splattered on people and furniture. The family and staff struggled to get as far as the awning of the risen porch, hoping to reach the mansion.

"What's happening..?" Rin asked in a frightened whisper. If only I knew..I couldn't even think of a good lie to calm her down.

Something told me to look away. To go catch the rabbit. When I looked up I found that Rin must have shared the same thought and looked towards the end of the hall. There he was. Waiting. Just sitting there staring at us, his nose twitching. As soon as we took our first step towards him, he ran off again. And again, we chased after him. It was so strange, actually. At this point one would think that making sure everyone had made it inside in one piece would be a persons main priority. I dont know about Rin, but I had this gut feeling that catching Shiori was important, that stopping him from getting..where ever he was going would change..something.

When Rin and I had stopped to catch our breaths we looked ahead. He stood waiting again, this time at the top of the red carpeted staircase that lead down to the main entrance. Below we could hear relatives, guests, and staff all speaking of the storm and hoping it would die down soon.

I stared at this rabbit. This rabbit that I had known my whole life..but how well did I know it? It's just sort of..been here..since before I could remember..and Miku would speak of the places she took it all the time and told stories of Meiko and Kaito loving the rabbit as well..how old was this animal..?

Just as fast as the thought had past through my mind, Shiroi had started going down the stairs, hopping step by step. Once Rin and I had reached the top of the stairs, it was already at the bottom! How was it so fast! Why am I calling it an 'it'..? Am I starting to doubt it's gender or if it is even a creature of our world..? No matter! No time for that! "Let's go, Rin!"

We ran down the stairs, trying to spot Shiori within the crowd of people. There between two business colleagues of Fathers! We hit the floor and weaved through and around anybody in the way, ignoring our names when called, not stopping when greeted. The numbers of people decreased the farther we got to the back of the mansion, the farther we got to the back door, to the banquet that would have been.

He stood there. The door open, the yard twisting around in the winds, but not a hair moved on it's body. It was as if time itself was frozen in the mansion. In the room.

A voice..in my head? From a guest? "We're running late!" Late for what? Before I knew it the rabbit was out the door, and Rin was running after him.

"Rin!" She didn't stop. I had no choice but to follow. I didn't care about the rabbit now, I didn't want her out in this weather, it was too dangerous.

Now that we were outside, everything seemed a lot more twisted. Things wern't just flying from the heavy winds, they were..turning..no, spinning! Spinning in place! Looking around, I saw that the lawn statues were throwing their stone pieces, Plants were screaming as their roots came up from the dirt, fountains were spraying water in miscellaneous directions as if they were trying to put out a fire.

Deeper and Deeper we went towards the back of the property. Out of the yard, past the garden, dead on the narrowing path towards the woods. We were soon too far back to even see the roof of the mansion. The farther we got, the more questioning the trees began to look. Their branches going in out of shape directions, their roots brought up from the ground. Speaking of, I tripped over them.

I made contact with the ground and my copy of Alice flew out of my hands, past both Rin and the rabbit. Rin had skided to a halt to look back at me but the rabbit ran towards the now open book. The pages flew back and forth until finally they layed flat, again as if time stopped though the winds kept blowing, growing more fierce by the second.

Once on my knees I looked ahead. The Rabbit was staring with it's dark eyes, sitting next to the book. Rin gasped and looked around, I couldnt understand why. Then I heard them. The Voices began swirling around our heads as if they were one with the wind. They sounded like they belonged to children. Like they were telling a story.

"There once was a dream" They echoed, the genders seemed unknown to me. "No one knew who dreamt it...such a small dream it was."

"The little dream began to think" I don't know these Voices! " 'I don't want to vanish just like that...How do I get people to notice me?'"

"The little dream thought and thought" The screaming of the wind is too loud, they're getting too hard to hear! "Then it came up with an idea so great."

"I shall allow people to wander into me.." Stop talking to me! "..and they will create my world!"

Like that, the Voice stopped. I paused and looked around, what happened?

I heard the trees starting to crack around us. Theres no time, we have to leave! "Ri-"

"Len, look!"

Looking up to my sisters distress, my eyes were immediatly drawn past her. The rabbit. He poked his head into the pages and began climbing into them! Like they were nothing but soil in the ground!

**Crack!**

The tree branches! Pure instinct kicked in as I pushed up onto my feet and darted after my sister, the falling tree branch just seconds away.

"Rin!" She turned to look at me just as I lunged at her. My body crashed into hers and we fell away from the branch, but we ended up diving into the pages of the book.

I never heard the branch hit the ground. The last thing I remember seeing was the page where Alice fell into Wonderland. When I had opened my eyes, I was in what I thought would be a room. It was compleatly pitch black..where was I? I stood up to look around.."Rin!" I called. "Anybody!" No answer. No answer except a single laugh.

The laugh was familiar, I thought I knew the voice well. Footsteps. Footsteps echoed all around me. Left, right, behind me, above me. Where are they comeing from? Which way was up? "Who's there!"

"Me."

I turned around, and there he was.

At first I thought a mirror had been placed in front of me. And no, that's not a twin joke. I mean literally! He stood there with that innocent smile of his. That blonde hair, those blue eyes, those god awful clothes with that stupid apron!

"Who are you!" I demanded.

"Well that's simple! And you already know! My name is Len!" The mirror grinned. "I'm you."

**Sooo? What'd you think? Please comment and review! I have big plans for the rest of the story!**


	2. Welcome to Wonderland

_**Eeeh..Sorry this Chapter took so long! I was having trouble tieing a few ends together. Anyways, I hope you decide the wait was worth it!**_

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"Me!" I asked the double. No doubt he's insane. "How could you possibly be me!"

"Hmm..How should I put it..? I'm the..'other you'. I am you in every way possible. Every Alice has a double like me!"

"What do you mean? What the heck is an 'Alice'!" This was getting frusterating.

The boy laughed. "Wow, you really are clueless! YOU'RE an Alice! And Rin, and the three before you!"

"Three before me..? Wait, who are they? What are their names!"

"Alice!" He laughed.

Ugh, this is getting me no where. I'll try to change the subject. "Where's Rin?"

"On the other side. Hopefully you'll wake up before the boat stops or she'll probably go off into Wonderland by herself."

I couldn't believe him. "Wonderland!"

"Did I stutter?"

A dream. Yeah, that's right. The branch actually DID hit us! And now I'm asleep! I mean Wonderland isn't real! How could I possibly be..be in..

"..You're getting boring. Look, I'll put it simply. Including you and your sister, there are a total of five Alice's running around Wonderland. But the thing is, there are only four card suits. One of you has to go."

"So..just send me and Rin back home!"

"No,no. I said ONE of you has to go." He leaned back on..nothing? I don't know anymore, I just gotta get out of this room and find Rin.

"Then send Rin home!"

"Nobody goes home after falling into Wonderland. Somebody has to die."

Die..? Why do we have to die? Why cant we just go back the way we came? We didnt ask to be here at all! I was just..Trying to save Rin..and now I have lost with me in this place! But..not all is that bad..I know the true secrets of Wonderland..we can survive! I'm sure of it! If we just get to the White Queen..

"So what do we have to do..?" I'll play your game, double. But I'll play it _my_ way..

"Simple. Wake up..Then survive without going Mad." He grinned..no..he smirked. "Welcome to Wonderland...Number Four: Alice of Hearts."

He vanished. And I was alone. Alone in the darkness once again. If I'm the Alice of Hearts..Rin must be too..Which means there are still the Alice of Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs..Rin and I are the only doubles..one of us will...No! I won't let that happen! I'll do whatever I can to make sure Rin is safe! Even if it means taking over a different Alices' suit..but in order to do that, the first Alice we run into..will have to die.

"Len!"

Who is that..? That voice..

"Len, wake up! You gotta see this!"

Rin! Rin, where are you!

"Wake up!"

Ow! What is she doing to me! I open my eyes, squinting into the sunlight to see a rabbit eared blonde looking down on me. Hitting my chest with her fists as she yelled. "WAKE UP!" No..it's not a rabbit, it's just my sisters bow.

I sat up, rubbing my head as I looked around. We were moving..taking furhter observation I could see the river our boat was floating down. On the banks there were millions of spiraled, different colored trees and odd animals of assorted kinds. Then it sunk in..we were really in Wonderland after all.

"Rin..whats going on..?

"Umm...I don't know! I woke up and we were already here.." She smiled, looking up at the sky "But isnt this so cool! It's so pretty here, I can't believe my eyes!"

"Yeah.." I gave her a small smile, more concerned about her falling out of the boat. "But shouldnt we find out where we are..?"

"Well..The boat should slow down eventually..we'll get out and start walking when we get the chance! We're bound to run into somebody sooner or later!"

She was right..there was no point worrying about it right now, really. But..what if the somebody we run into is the first Alice..? They must know that they're in danger of being killed as well..Will I even be ABLE to kill them..? I've never done anything of the sort before at all..but..if it's for Rin..I'm going to have..no matter what it takes..

We didnt talk much after that..Not about where we were, where we were going, especially about home..but now that I think about it..I actually wonder if we'll ever see it again..The journey can only tell us, really..

After the sun went down and I stopped my thoughts from lingering, Rin and I had fallen asleep. I desperatly wanted to wake up after that..but I couldnt..

My dream was rather..strange..

I saw children, all dressed in red dresses or overalls with spades for buckles or ribbons. They were not doing anything at all out of the ordinary..Hopscotch, Jumprope, Marbles...childrens games..but they were singing..then I recognized the voices...they matched the wind. But instead of shouting..they were giggling...all laughing as they sang..

_"The first Alice was a wrathful woman of the Spade! And rightiously she held a sharpened blade within her hand!" _The first Alice? Did they know something?

"Hey!" I called out to them, but they didnt even acknowledge me..

''_Never hesitating to slay all within her way! Creating paths of blood that followed her through wonderland!" _The laughed, skipping around as if it was a game to them.

"Someone answer me! Who's the first Alice!"

Suddenly a little girl was standing in front of me. She couldn't have been no older tha sixe or seven. She had short brown hair and wore a red dress. She kept her head down, I couldn't see her eyes, but I could tell she was grinning..I didn't like that..

"U-um..excuse me..?" She didnt move as I spoke. "What's going on..? Who are all of you..? Do you know about the Alice's..?"

She laughed..I hated her laugh.."You're such a witty little kid...can't you figure it out for yourself..?" She suddenly had a shining blade in her hand, a sword, with an engraved spade on each side at the tip. "You're about to die.."

*She brought the blade down on me in a sudden swipe. I barely managed to dodge it, though the sharp edge grazed my skin, drawing blood. Shit! She was really trying to kill me! I turned around and ran, speeding towards the vanishing dirt path into the woods. I could hear her footsteps behind me. Getting Louder, closer, her laughs more maniactrical with each passing second. Once I cleared the trees it looked like a cliff was up ahead. And standing at it's ledge..was the other me.

"What are you doing here!" I yelled.

"Come now, Alice, is that any way to greet someone who is about to save you're life?"

"Save my life? If you were going to save my life you would have sent me and Rin HOME by now!"

"Now, now, Alice, we've been over this, you know I can't do that."

"STOP CALLING ME ALICE!" I panted a bit, taking a deep breath I collected myself. This is no time to lose control. "Why is she chasing me..?"

"Hm?" The double looked back towards the trees. "Because she's the first Alice's double. She came to..hunt..you so that she will continue to live."

"Why me..? What did I ever do to her? Why not a different Alice!"

"In order? Why: Because you'll have to die eventually. What: You existed in Wonderland. The Second Why: Because you're the one closest in the area."

"Closest in the-Never mind. What do you mean 'eventually'? You said there were four suits!"

"Oh come on, You read the book yourself. There are four suits but in the end there can only be one TRUE Alice."

The girl cackled through the trees, sounding as if she was hacking down anything around her. "I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE NUMBER FOUR! AND WHEN I FIND YOU I'LL HACK YOU DOWN LIKE I'LL DO WITH REST OF THE IMPOSTERS! _I'M _THE FIRST ALICE! _I_ AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN OBTAIN THE HONOR OF BEING THE TRUE RULER OF WONDERLAND!"

My eyes widend as I stared at the trees. I'm cornered, she'll find me for sure! "This girl is nuts!"

The double casually looked up towards the sky. "mmm..just a tad."

Useless! "Can't you DO something!"

"Possibly." He answered, giving me a cheshire grin. "How about some advice? Try waking up."

"Waking up..? How the hell do I do that!"

"mm...with a sudden shock."

"Sudden shoc-wah!"

I looked up towards his grinning face as I fell backwards into the unknown abyss over the cliff. The son of a bitch pushed me! Though as far away as he was to the point where I could barely see him, I heard him clear as a bell. "Have a pleasant morning..Alice."

As if I had recieved a sudden jolt, my eyes shot open, being greeted to the sting of the morning sunshine glaring into my face. I sat up just as quickly. Bad idea, that had made me more dizzy than alert. "Rin..?" I looked around. The boat had stopped. By the looks of it, it had drifted to the left side of the shore line, now banked into the mud. I looked down at my little twin who slept beside me. I was almost sad to disturb her slumber as I poked her cheek a bit. She made an upset looking face as she opened her eyes, her whining voice asking me what I wanted.

"We stopped." Was all I said in reply.

"Stopped?" She echoed. Sitting up she would look around, just as I had done, then yawn and rub her eyes. "Now what?"

..Why do I bother to assume she might have a clue as to what to do? "Well," I said. "we could trying doing what we decided we would do yesterday and take a look around, perhaps find somebody to talk to about where the hell we are."

"Can't we eat first..."

For the love of..."What exactly do you plan on eating!"

"mmm..." She pouted a little as she tilted her head back to look at me. "Go find something...?"

"What!"

"Excuse me..?" A voice spoke to us through the trees, interupting the argument. A Young woman dressed in red emerged from the trees. She had a groomed cut of light brown hair and matching eyes that showed concern for us, like we might be hurt. She wore a long red dress and apron with knee length boots. I had seen her somewhere before..but I couldn't think of where. Then it hit me. I had seen her almost every day throughout my entire life. And SHE is the one that attacked me last night..

It was cousin Meiko..

It was the first Alice..

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**_Soo...Like I said, I hope you think this chapter was worth it! Some of the information I made up on the fly but I think it turned out pretty well! As for Len..eh..by the end of this, I might be fully convinced that he's Skitzophrenic. But hey, whatever helps him get through the life I'm about to give him! =D Please review! It makes me happy!_**


	3. How it is, What it isnt

_**Greetings! I want to apologize for chapter two. This is exactly the next morning after it was posted, and after rereading it I saw that I had made too many careless spelling and grammer mistakes and I hope they didnt cause too much of a confusion in what was going on for you readers..I've decide that there is NO WAY I am ever finishing or starting a chapter at any time past midnight ever again. Sorry for any inconviences and I hope that this PROOF READ chapter will make up for it..I'm thinking of making Chibi Gremlin my Beta, she's really the only one who pushes me to finish chapters. Anyways, enjoy!**_

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I stood up and stepped out of the boat, standing in front of Rin defensively. This was too easy, how could we have possibly found her so quickly. Normally in books it takes two days to a week to find the first opponent after following a long trail of evil deeds they had reeked on the environment in the surrounding area. So why.."What do you want!"

She just stood there with a bewildered expression. She looked as though she had no idea who I was. But my double said that her second self was the one who attacked me last night. So wouldn't she know the face of the person she sent it after..? She only narrowed her eyes, placing her hand on her hips. "Look kid, you didnt seem to be from around here so I was looking to see if you two were okay. It's not often someone dares to go down this river."

I cautiously lowered my arms, though didnt let my gaurd down. "Why..? What's wrong with this river..?"

"What are you, stupid?" She bursted out. "This is the longest River in Wonderland! It flows right through all three of the main territories plus the castle! If anyone stays at the river too long they'll get swept away out of their own territory and into the next where they'll be murdered!"

Rin hopped out of the boat and hugged my arm, staring at the red woman. "Then why go to the River at all..?"

"It's to check to make sure it's still blue.." She said.

But why would that be good enough for Rin? She asked "Why would it be any other color?" Which is a good question..but did we want to know the answer?

"Because.." The woman turned her back to us and stared at the trees. "When the water turns completely red..it means we lost the game."

I was just about to ask what game she was talking about but she had cut me off, telling us she would take us to her town to stay with her until we were rested enough to leave.

She explained the rules of 'the game' on the way there. She said that a long time ago, a girl named Alice fell into Wonderland. She had no idea where she was or how she got there but she wanted to go home. She met so many different characters who all liked and hated her. Only few who knew her were said to still be alive.

Alice was the one who had set Wonderland free of the rule of the Queen of Hearts. A selfish ruler who would mold Wonderland into her 'perfect' vision. And anyone who stood in the way of that vision would loose their head without a second chance to speak.

Alice's friends had told her that she was the chosen one to go and defeat her. But she was just a little girl of age seven. What could she possibly do? Apperantly, it was a lot.

With the help and encouragment of the people of Wonderland, Alice went into battle. And in the relentless battle of pain and blood, Alice killed the Queens precious pet: The Jabberwocky.

The Queens kingdom was at an end. And Wonderland and ruled that the Queen should be punished like everyone else who had died by her hands..By losing her head.

Alice said goodbye after that. She felt like she wouldn't be here in the morning to greet everyone once again. And she was right. The next morning when her closest friend in Wonderland went to wake her, she was gone.

For a short time things were peaceful in Wonderland yet again. But that certaintly wouldn't last long. Wonderland began to look..disfigured..People began to battle each other for tivial things. Alice's friends had turned against each other, some even killing the weaker ones before they went off in their own directions. Only two truly believed that Alice would come back. And with that, they went to find her.

Nobody knows how they had gotten to Alice's world. But if only they had done so sooner. When they had found Alice, she looked horrible. Her hair was a different color. She was pale with a knife in her hand. She layed outside of a charred, flame filled building. There were many things they wanted to but the only thing that made her believe that they were even there were just a few simple words. "It's time to go back to Wonderland."

It's said she didnt hesitate to return and help as much as she could. She found out that there was a war on the chessboard. Between the new "Queens" The Red, and the White.

Alice fought her way through Wonderland again. A young girl of twelve years old. She slayed many to get to the Chessboard. She even clashed blades and sometimes killed her old friends. She did shed tears when the fights with them were over. But the two who found her pushed her forward.

Only one of them was with her to the very end. She killed the Red Queen without mercy. At first the people thought that the White Queen would rule. But when Alice stepped to the Queen for a last word, She rammed her sword through her throat.

"A ruler isnt needed!" Alice had said. "You must work together to create the perfect Wonderland! No one person should have the right to everything and everyone in it!"

Alice went home that night. And within days, Wonderland began to get better. Things were going back to how they had used to be before the trouble of the rising Queens.

It wasn't until about thirty years ago that people began to fight again. They were lost without a ruler. People faught over land and food. Some even dared to go to the abandoned castle to try to take over yet again...Then a child came. Telling the people the 'rules' to what would be coming next.

It said that there will be a game. That Wonderland will be divided into the territories of the four suits of cards. And People in those suits will keep to themselves. When the time comes Four Children from Alice's world will arrive. They will battle amongst themselves in an all out survival of the fittest. The last suit standing will be the next ruler of Wonderland, and _they_ will become the next 'Alice'. All they have to do is two things: Stay Alive. And Stay Sane.

During the course of this explanation I had lost track of where we were going as we walked down the trails. I assume not a lot of time had passed when we had finally reached a large steel wall. There was a set of three doors. A huge one with great width and length across the wall. A smaller one that went to half of its size inside the first door. And inside of that there was a normal sized door. The structure itself was red, each door having it's locks and hinges in the shape of spades. This girl who had introduced herself as Meiko opened the smallest door, leading us inside.

I couldn't tell how large the inside of the structure was. It had an open top for the sky to be seen. And inside looked to be like a primitive olden day village. She began to lead us through the dirt roads past the working people and creatures. All was silent between us after that..until Rin piped up.

"But isnt all of this ignoring Alice's wishes for you guys to settle it out for yourselves..?'' She asked.

Meiko responded with a scoff. "We had only come to one conclusion: She dosn't care anymore. If she truly cared about us she would have stayed and helped us instead of abandoning us to fend for ourselves."

"That isnt right!" I yelled. "If she didnt care about you guys then why would she come back so long ago to help you guys with the rising Queens!"

"Heh, now you see I'm not one to answer that question seeing as how I wasn't in Wonderland all of those years ago. It isn't an Alice's job to know _how_ or _why_ but to be the _who_ that is _where,_ to create the _what_, _when_ it happens. The Alice's don't look at the past, only fight to create the future they see fit to Wonderland."

I didn't like the feeling that the atmosphere around us just gained. "And what happens when the Four Alice's arrive?"

"When the fourth Alice arrives we are to meet up at the Chessboard one week later, if any Alice's cross each other on the trip there, its fair game. Nobody ever said they had to make it there alive.''

Rin started off my own question. "So does that mean..?"

"Yes." Meiko said. "Including myself, there are three Alice's currently in Wonderland."

We were taken to Meiko's cottage like home. Only three rooms. She fed us and let us stay in her bed, though I didnt feel like sleeping. Knowing that we were so close I was afraid that if I went to sleep, that dream world would come back and She would find out who we really were. Rin and I decided to dismiss the fact that she was our cousin. Besides, even if she did believe us, I dont think she would show mercy..

I layed awake next to Rin, staring at the ceiling. It was really quiet that night. Not even a cricket chirped outside. I wonder if it was always this quiet in Wonderland..I don't think I could get used to it easily. But sudenly, something broke the silence.

Footsteps..I was really beginning to truly **_hate_** the sound of footsteps. Within the time we spent in Wonderland, footsteps so far only ment bad things for me. They sounded like they were far away, walking down the dirt road, the feet dragging as they kicked up the rocks. They were getting louder. Closer. It wasn't long before the footsteps stopped. The owner unsettlingly knocking the cottages door three times.

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

I krept out of the bed quietly and looked out of the rooms door to the main door. I heard Meiko walk across the wood flooring as she came into my viewing of the door. Upon opening it, there was a little boy. His eyes were covered by his messy brown hair, but he looked up at her with a smile. He wore an untucked, wringled white dress shirt, and white shorts. He had one knee hight sock on, the other scrunched up at his ankle under his brown dress shoes. And these, I assumed were fake, he had white rabbit ears on top of his head. He spoke a few words her. Meiko had shifted her weight a bit, moving aside to give me a better view of what he was carrying.

It was a sheathed. Red sword. With a spade at the hilt.

For a split second, I thought he looked directly at me as his boyish smile turned into a grin. His next words, I heard so clearly, like he was talking directly at me.

"The Fourth Alice has arrived. Let the game begin."

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_**Obviously this wasnt FINISHED the day after..but yeah, a lot's been going on lately, but I hope this chapter makes up for chapter two. And I proof read it this time! D**_


	4. The truth in the Nightmare

_**Sorry this Chapter has taken so long to get put up. I'm in the process of moving and don't have a lot of time to post, but I'm giving what I can! Hope you enjoy!**_

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This wasn't good.

So what? The game as "Officially" begun? Our lives as the fou-five Alice's of Wonderland are meaningless, and we only grew up to slaughter each other aimlessly under the rule by some force of which we have no idea who or what they actually are?

Screw. That.

I turned over in the bed and shook Rin's shoulder. She stirred a bit and opened her eyes sleepily to meet my gaze, wondering what was going on. "We have to get out of here." I said.

I was startled when a voice came from behind me. Even more startled when I identified the owner. "And where would you be going at this time of night?"

I turned around and scrambled to my feet, looking Meiko in the eye. She didn't have the sword with her. She must have put it in a separate room before coming in here. "Just..for a walk! The weather is perfect tonight, don't you think? Perfect to see the town!"

"Hm.." Meiko would shift her eyes between mine and Rin's, who's still a bit groggy from the sudden awakening but it looked like her mind was able to register what was going on. "You would think that it would make more sense to take this said walk to see the town in the daylight, you know, when you can see more than three inches in front of your nose?"

So much for that idea. "Great! Uh..we'll do that, heh..perhaps maybe you could show us everything tomorrow?"

"Perhaps I shall," Meiko responded..it's strange she seemed..colder.."But I must inform you that I have received word that the fourth Alice has arrived and we will be leaving the day after tomorrow for the chessboard."

Excellent! She doesn't know!..Yet.."Oh? Are you sure it's appropriate for us to attend such an event? It..really IS only between you and the Alice's correct?"

"Yes..but you are under my care right now and I just can't leave you in Wonderland to fend for yourselves.." The side of her mouth curled up into a frightening grin, her eyes narrowing as if she was studying me. Not Rin. Me. Did I blow our cover already? "That wouldn't be very polite now would it..?"

"N-no," I stammered. "I guess not..So uh..see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Tomorrow." The red woman turned and left the room. Once I was sure she was away at a safe distance I sat down on the bed and sighed.

"That was a close one.."

"Say, Len..?" I turned to my sister who was childishly hugging her knees as she sat up in the bed. "You don't think she'll kill us do you..?"

Yes. "No, Rin..of course not." Yes, I lied. But what was I suppose to tell her? 'Yeah, we're actually going to die tomorrow but we had a good life, right?'

But she wasn't as stupid as she made herself out to be. She knew I was unsure of my own words. Rin looked down in disappointment and spoke quietly, afraid that the slightest sound might set Meiko off. "I don't want to die.."

Those words killed me. I wrapped my arms around my sister and hugged her tightly. "You're not going to die, Rin..we'll make it through this, okay?"

I wish I could stay true to those words. But at the rate things are going there is most likely only a five percent chance that we could possibly live through this. But I have to keep going. I have to keep Rin alive and get her out of her. Get her home.

I held Rin for most of the night after that. The two of us had slowly drifted off to sleep. I was glad to know that in her slumber, as far as I knew, she was free. Free of worry, free of fearing for her life, free of anything that could possibly do her harm in the world.

I'm not so lucky.

I opened my eyes again to reveal that I was laying on soft green grass. Near by I heard the children laughing again. It was only a matter of time before _he_ showed up.

"Good evening, Alice."

And there he was.

I sighed and sat up, casually looking over at my unwanted double, a bit annoyed. "What do you want?"

"Well that's not very nice." He said. "And to think I went through all the trouble of warning your sisters' double to stay away from the first Alice's double."

"What!" I stood up and grabbed onto his shoulders, looking him in the eye. "What do you mean! Is Rin okay! Can I see her!"

"Woah woah woah, calm down!" He said, pushing my hands off of his shoulders. " She's fine and No. You can't. You want to see her? Then wake up."

I'm really hating this guy. "Then what DO you want!"

"The chase will begin soon, Alice." There was a cocky grin in his voice. "Are you prepared to kill or be killed?"

Kill or be killed..? "What are you talking about?"

He sighed, and looked up towards the cloudless sky, a bored expression on his face as if I wasn't amusing him enough. " I believe I already informed you before, Alice."

"You most certainly didn't" I said.

"Sure I did" He grinned. " What happened before was now and what is now is now before. But not anymore. What is happening now is what will be even if what will be will soon be what happened before. Get it?"

"Not..really.." Who would!

"I believe it was the First Alice that said it." He looked up at the..sky? Casually."

"Then you didn't tell me!"

"How do you know? Perhaps I manipulated her mind."

"Impossible! There is no way you could hav-" I was cut off. The children started laughing. "What's happening?"

"Hmm.." The double seemed to have been studying the children. "Looks as if there is a disturbance in the quiet little town of Spade."

"What? What kind of disturbance?"

He smiled. "Nothing to worry about, Alice. You might want to wake up though. You two have slept through the day."

"What?"

The double placed his hand on my head. "Wake up." He pushed me down to the ground. Just as I was about to make contact with the soil I found myself sitting up in my bed, an orange-ish glow coming in through the window. Morning? No. The sun is in the west..Sundown..? How long have we been asleep? I turned over and shook Rin's shoulder. My sister stirred and opened her eyes, sitting up and looking around.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Dusk." I climbed out of bed. Something didn't seem right.

Rin..stumbled..out of bed and stood up. "Where's Meiko..? And what's that smell?" she wrinkled her nose. She was right though. There was a strange smell in the air..rust..? Salt maybe..?

"I'm not sure" I walked over to the door and poked my head through to view the rest of the small cottage. Nothing. Maybe she went out? "Let's go take a look around, Rin."

Rin had quickly stepped over to me and hugged my arm as we exited the building. The first thing we noticed was that it was extremely warm outside. We soon found the source of the heat: Fire. It was spreading everywhere! There were bloody corpses on the ground and screams of the towns' people being burned alive inside of their homes. I turned and looked at Meiko's house again. It wasn't touched. It had looked just the same as it did when we went to bed. Even more peculiar, when inside there was no sound of what was happening out here, hardly any sent at all. It was as if a barrier was around the structure.

"Len we need to find Meiko!"

Rin's voice snapped me out of my daze. I looked into my sisters terrified eyes and nodded, gripping her hand tightly and running down the road.

As we ran I noticed all of these people either already injured or running from being injured..but no one inflicting the injuries. I stopped a woman who ran by, asking her what was happening.

"Lady Meiko!" She shouted in horror. "She's gone bloody mad! She has the cackle of a witch's laugh! She screams for the names of the fourth and fifth!"

"The Fourth and Fifth?"

"Yes! Many a time she proclaimed the coming of the last Alice's and that Wonderland would once again be at peace upon their arrival! But it was a lie! She plans to slay us all along with the poor children!" The woman grabbed my shoulders and shook me a bit. "Run child! Run far away! Be Wonderlands sacred savior and warn the town of Diamonds that the war has sorrowfully come to us all!" With a sob and a shriek the woman ran off into the flames of a burning building. I covered Rin's ears and moved onward as the woman's screams filled the air around us.

I moved us out of the havoc that hazed over the once peaceful town towards the back wall. Shoving our way through the gate of the main wall that enclosed the town from the rest of the world we made our way to the edge of the forest, coughing to free our lungs of the smoke we had inhaled. "Rin are you okay?"

"I'm fine" She replied in a somewhat dismal tone. "Len..I don't like being out here at night."

That makes two of us. "I Know..but we can't go back..if that woman is right..we need to get as far away as possible.."

"Len. Do you have the dream too?"

"The dream?" She doesn't mean..

"In my dream..there's small children laughing..and there's a rude girl that looks just like me! She took my face, my name, and she keeps calling my 'Alice'..Len what does it mean?"

Damn it.."It means we have to play a game.."

"A game.."

Before I was able to give my sister a response I heard a rustle in the trees. The sound of limb branches being chopped down echoed throughout the area. Then I heard that horrible voice again..

The voice of her double..repeating those horrible words that will forever stain themselves into my mind.

"I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE NUMBER FOUR! AND WHEN I FIND YOU I'LL HACK YOU DOWN LIKE I'LL DO WITH REST OF THE IMPOSTORS! _I'M _THE FIRST ALICE! _I_ AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN OBTAIN THE HONOR OF BEING THE TRUE RULER OF WONDERLAND!" The witch like cackle moved through the surrounding perimeter, even felt as if it went right through my body.

I heard Rin let out a small, insecure laugh. "Len.." She said. "I think my nightmares are coming true.."

"If only that were it, Rin.." Her double must not be telling her the whole story.

The rustling in the trees were getting louder and closer. The thickets around us shook with movement, I pushed Rin towards the opposite direction, urging her to run for me to follow. "Go, Rin, Go! Now!"

We strayed off of the small trail, now sprinting our way through the foliage that covered the ground of the forest. The world rest of the world was completely silent around us. There were no birds chirping, animals fleeing as we ran past. It was just us..and her. If we were to disappear out here, nobody would ever know..not even a curious talking animal.

But that's just it, isn't it? Nobody would know..who ever said the one that should disappear should be my sister or myself?

I grabbed Rin's arm and pulled her behind a large..well..I wanted to say oak tree but I don't recall Oak tree's being blue. Actually..almost all the trees were blue now..green and purple..never mind! I covered Rin's mouth and whispered to her. "We need to split up.." The terror that filled her eyes told me what she was thinking almost immediately. "You'll be okay, I know what to do..don't worry, I won't let you be alone for long..just long enough.." The cackled laugh was coming closer. "Wait for the footsteps to leave. When they're gone, start running. I'll be with you soon. And keep. Quiet." Rin hung her head and gave me a inaudible nod.

I waited for her to get closer before I ran out from behind the tree and took off running into the dark forest of colors. Never looking back I heard two things in the darkness. The shouting of the spade in claim that she saw me..and the singing of the children as my world began to darken again. Before I knew it..everything went black.

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**_I think I worked out a pretty balanced Legit system that will allow me to work on my chapters and publish them more quickly. Let's see if I can put it to use. Sorry for the wait, everyone!_**__


	5. Wrathful Woman of the Spade

_**The Reason why this Chapter is so Late:**_

_**I had the first half of this chapter written out and saved on here already and signed in and worked on it I believe once a week. Three weeks ago my computer crashed and I had to get a new one and go without the net for a few days. To pass time I worked on the second half of the chapter on word pad. When finally getting the Internet back, I had found out that the chapter had been deleted. My only conclusion what that updating the story weekly was only some delusional dream. But lacking the motivation of typing the first bit of the story again I have been putting it off for weeks. Finally deciding that it wasn't fair to you guys that I was being whiny, I just finished rewriting the chapter. Hope it's has good as I had originally intended  
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I open my eyes to be greeted my the sunlight flickering through the tree tops. My head hurts. I sit up and look around..the forest..? I don't remember. Then the echoing of the children's voices ring in my mind.

"_Deep into the darkened forest, Alice walked the line."_

The darkened forest...?

_"Captured and imprisoned as embodiment of sin"_

Captured..? Captured in what..?

The singing was cut off short as I heard his laughing once again.

Len's transparent figure haunted me with his presence once again. I looked up at the boy in disgust. "What do you want?"

"An interview!" He grinned. "So after last nights turn of events, how does this make you feel?"

"..Last..night..?"

"Yeah. Poor girl, you did a number on her. And with you two screaming all night, getting sweaty, and dirty-"

"You make it sound like I slept with her."

Len Grinned. "Who knows..you can't remember what happened, can you..?"

I froze. "I didn't.."

"..Nope. You didn't." He laughed. "But she'll never walk again."

"Why..?" This mind game was stupid. He knows what happened, why won't he tell me? Is he just toying with me?

"How about we go for a little walk?" Len walked through me and headed a few feet away. I shrugged and got up to my feet, beginning to follow him.

Not even five minutes had passed before I let out a scream, nearly falling down a trench. My hands dug into the soil. New cuts formed in my legs, blood trickled down and stained my socks. The soil was giving in. I did all I could do.."HELP!"

Another laugh. Len was sitting in mid air exactly where he had stopped walking above the trench. "What's the matter? You were able to pull yourself up with no problem last night! What would Rin say?"

What..? "Did Rin come back last night!"

The double gave me his Cheshire grin. "Is that really your main concern right now?"

He was right. As much as I had wished it was, I was going to fall into something dangerous. I tried to bring up all of my strength. Little by little I clawed my way up onto the solid ground once again. I turned over onto my back and panted.

"Well that was boring."

"I could have died!" I sat up and glared at him. He seemed..bored. With a Yawn he walked back over to the land and looked into the trench.

"Well isn't that a pretty sight" He said.

"What is..?" Oh gods.."Is Rin down there!"

"Hmm..it's hard to say. There's just so much blood."

Blood..? No..what if it's Meiko..? What if it isn't..That's it..I have to know. I have to be sure Rin isn't down there. I sit up onto my knee's and crawl over to the edge, taking a deep breath I look over the side. There was a girl. There was blood.

But it wasn't Rin..

Suddenly the events that occurred came rushing back to me..

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I have been out back in the woods behind the mansion over a thousand times at night. But even the eerie silence that took over the darkness of my world was no comparison to this. This was just..awful..

The only bit of noise that was in the forest surrounding the Town of Spades were the cracking of sticks and leaves under my feet and smacking my face and body as I ran deeper into the darkness. Behind me, would be the Red Woman's terrible cackle of a laugh and the sound of her sword hacking down the limbs of the foliage in her way.

Not even the light of the moon is guiding me now. The forest cover completely blocked out it's much needed assistance. It was too dark to see and in my panic I had no idea if I was going in circles at this point or not. It's frighting to be in a panic mess like I am, it's a wonder if I'd be able to point up.

I let out a small yelp as I felt the ground underneath my feet vanish and I was pulled downwards, my hands grabbing for anything to keep me from falling. Luckily, some freed tree roots saved me from what could have possibly been a terrible fate.

Something was wrong..There was no sounds of the woman's laughing. No crunching of leaves, no falling of limbs..just silence. Encouraged by the small glimmer of hope that perhaps she had heard my scream and assumed the worst of me, I began to pull on the roots, my shoes digging into the loose soil this apparent wall was made out of. After several struggle filled minutes I dug my nails into the solid ground and pulled myself out of the..hole? Sure. I would lay on my back for a few moments to catch my breath, staring up at the shadowed tree tops above me.

He laughed...Len laughed. It wasn't even so much of a laugh as it was a giggle..he giggled? I sat up and turned around into what I thought to believe the direction I had come from. And there he was, as clear as day, standing no more than ten feet away. There was something wrong though. He still had that cocky grin, that no good glint in his eye. But his physical form..It was more solid..less transparent. Once our eyes met the grin turned into a devious smirk and spoke to me in Meiko's voice. "You really are such a stupid little boy, aren't you?"

I froze.

Before I had known what had happened, Meiko had run through Len's body with her sword raised high, his image dissolving into the air. I grabbed around me for anything. Nothing. She brought the blade down to make a connection with my skull. I dove out of the way.

Rolling to my feet in the leaves I looked around and had realized that relying on my vision would do me no good in this sort of battle. It was so dark I was hardly able to make out her figure. No, I would have to rely strictly on my sense of hearing and listen for each step she took and shift she made. I closed my eyes to listen for such movement when the wind picked up and shook everything around us. I tensed up. Bad timing, nature. The rustling of the branches around me cause me to panic. I can't tell apart the movement from the breeze or the movement of the spade. I hear a crack behind me. I pivit my feet and swing my body around, my hand reaching out and grabbing something long, thick and firm. I tugged on the sudden mass and heard a loud crack. Opening my eyes and feeling the object a bit more I discovered a large, mostly dead, tree limb in my hand. Not too heavy, or real sturdy for that matter. But it was better than being unarmed..I suppose.

I took note of the glimmering lights moving above me. Was the wind helping me? Yes, it was! The wind moved the tree tops and let the moon light shine down to the forest floor. I whipped my head around and noticed the woman in red standing within arms reach of me. My eyes widened in horror as I stared into hers as if I was under some form of trance. Her brown eyes were now a corrupted blood red. And I swear I could see disfigured arms twisting around in the iris..

This woman was no longer the same person I had met only a morning ago. This woman was filled with hate, rage and greed. A horrendous form of desire.  
A desire for blood..

A desire to kill..

My blood..

To kill me...

My arms moved automatically. They brought up the piece of wood and swung it into the Spade's torso as if one would swing a bat to hit a ball. With a sound signifying I had knocked the wind out of her escaping her lips the woman had collapsed onto the ground. She sat up onto her hands and knees, gasping for air. Before she had a chance to get up I swung it over onto her back. A large snap was heard. She was back on the ground. The tree limb had broken in half.

I wasn't sure at the moment. I thought she was dead. I held one half of the limb tightly in my hands, the other lay on the ground on the other side of Meiko. I backed up a bit and turned around, sighing and shaking my head. I don't like violence but..it had to be done.

Or not.

With a sudden shriek the woman had shot up onto her feet, charging at me with her sword. I was in a state of shock when I turned to face her. Without thinking I stepped to the side, twisting my body into a full blown swing with the hunk of wood that was left. With a direct hit to her head, she screamed and disappeared, falling into eternal darkness. A rustling sound and a struggle was heard. I dropped to my knees and crawled over to the edge I had previously fallen over. A sickening feeling over took my stomach as I stared down at the sprawled mess below.

The wind would shake the tree tops again, the moon light glistening down to the sight below. In a mangled mess of blood, cloth and limbs would be the Wrathful Woman of the Spade who clutched her blade tightly. Blood spilled from her mouth as her body went into a twitching spasm, the thorn brush she was entangled in stabbing into her even more. A gurgle escaped her throat, her eyes glancing upwards straight at me.

She started out with a chuckle..then a full blown maniatic laugh. She coughed up and hacked blood, painting the thorns around her. Her body soon fell limp.  
My head felt dizzy. It started to get darker as the voices of the childeren came back.

_"If it were not for the murderous wake left behind"_

I fell backwards onto the ground, my eyes giving out on me, darkness taking over my mind. The last words heard were those of the children, saying farewell to the Spade.  
_"No one would have suspected that she had ever been.."_

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Len laughed as he looked down at the corpse. "You really did a number on her huh?"

"I...I suppose..I didn't mean to..I.."

He gave me a look. "Yes you did. She was going to kill you! It was only self defense!" the double grinned. "Right?"

"R..right.." Right. It's not like there was any witnesses..except him..not like he could tell anyone..

We sat there in silence for a moment as I took in the flooded memories in a daze. I shook my head to snap myself out it, the breeze picking up again. This may sound silly, but I almost wanted to thank it. After all, if I hadn't been able to see, I would probably be the one at the bottom of that pit instead of her.

The memory did bring me one peace of mine. Rin was safe.

Wait. Was she safe. I don't know! I havn't been with her!

I jumped to my feet and looked at Len. "Where's Rin!"

He looked at me as if I was stupid. "How the hell should I know? I'm not her keeper."

"Ugh!" I reached into the top portion of my overalls and took out the red leather binded book with the detailed picture of the mad tea party on it. The two tiles of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass' in gold cursive print. I clutched it in my hands and put it back into my inner pocket, turning around and striding through the leaves that covered the forest floor.

"Hey!" Len's transparent figure formed beside me, walking to keep up. "Where do you think you're going?"

With pure determination I kept up my pace and kept my focus ahead in search of the path, leaving the Wrathful Woman of the Spade in her grave. "To find my sister.."

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**_Kay, never mind, the first version of the beginning was much better but what can you do? For this reason Chapter six may take a bit more time simply because I am disappointed in this chapter :( sorry guys. Ily._**


	6. Distorted Song Lyrics

_**I wanted to apologize for the long wait on these chapters. I had a lot going on and writing Imitation Black was a good break from this that I needed. But the new school year has started and now I need some form of procrastination. So here I will be finishing up this story. (Not soon, still have many more chapters to post) And Will be working on Imitation Black as well.**_

_**On another note, before I start working on Trick and Treat again, I was thinking of doing A Q&A video. (This notice will also be on the next chapter of Imitation Black) Where you guys email me questions and I'll answer them on my Youtube account. The Questions themselves can be about anything, not just my stories but please be reasonable.**_

_**The only way that I will receive your question is that if you email me. When emailing me, if the subject is anything other than my screen name 'PikoriChan' or a title from one of my stories, I will consider it as spam and not answer it. This is a fun little thing I thought I would try, and I'm hoping we can all be mature enough for this so that I can do it again for later stories.**_

_**I look forward to your emails!**_

_**PikoriChan131192 for hotmail dot com!  
**_

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I'm not sure how long it's been since we started walking. Since I killed the First Alice. Time doesn't seem to go by at a regular rate. Some days seem longer than others. I've lost track of how many times the sun had come and gone again. Poor Rin ...I'll find you soon.

Len, my double, had been following me every step of the way. I wish he hadn't, though. It's been getting harder and harder to tolerate his nonsense.

"She's dead, you know." he said, look as though he were thinking about the subject. "Must be. It's been far too long. She's such an easy target."

"Target for what?"  
The boy gave me a devilish smirk. "Insanity."

" 'Insanity.' " I scoffed. "Don't be absurd."

It was silent for another ten or twelve minutes, until he spoke again. "She's dead all right. And soon, you'll be dead too."

"Shut! Up!" I turned around and glared at him, though he only seemed amused by this. He stepped over to me with a such confidence. I found myself taking a few steps back.

"Do not order around or try to command that of which you have no control over, you stupid boy. It will only challenge and destroy you slowly, but surly, in the most terrifyingly unstable, inhuman, mental fuck you could ever imagine."

"Y-you're..you're in my head. _I'm_ the one that controls _you_!"

"Is that so, Alice?" He stepped over to me and entered my body. My hand shook and my knees buckled. Slowly I knelt down, feeling around through the leaves and dirt until I took hold of something jagged and sharp. The rock was dirty and hurt my hand. I wasn't doing this myself. It had to be his doing.

My other arm shook and raised itself. This horrible sinking feeling stirred in my body. My hand brought the rock up to my forearm. The pain of its edge piercing my skin and slowly dragging itself down to my wrist was excruciating. My cry of pain echoed into the trees around us and I fell back onto the ground. The warm blood ran down my arm with such grace. I stared at it in shock. But to my surprise I..liked it..The blood was so beautiful, falling down pale flesh and staining the greens and dirt beneath me. With out thinking, I brought the rock back up, making another clean cut down my arm. I wouldn't doubt that my screams could be heard for miles. To think such a feeling would bring such beauty to the eyes. The crimson stick stream had flowed down my hands and dripped off of the tips of my fingers.

The process repeated itself. Tears fell from my eyes. I couldn't comprehend it but I could stop. But in the back of my mind I heard Len laughing at me. Mocking me. This was terrible. I..had to stop this.. "Stop.."

"Why should I stop, Alice?" He asked me. "You seem to be enjoying yourself."

"I can't die!" I cried out, the rock piercing my leg. "I don't want to die! The..the blood..so much..I feel.."

"Feel like what..? Like you're slipping away? Like you can't hold on?"

"Please help..I can't.."

"Will you say such idiocies ever again? Do you admit that you do not control me and acknowledge that if I really wanted to I could kill you on the spot?"

"Yes! Please, help me!"

"Tsk Tsk Tsk. Poor delusional little boy. What ever are you talking about?"

"What..?" I looked up at him in confusion, then back down. I..was fine. No cuts. No blood. Was it real..? My eyes were still wet..and the rock.. "Ah!" I threw it away into the bushes and panted a little, looking up at Len with Wide eyes. "What was that..?"

"What was what?" He laughed a little and kept on walking. I stared at my trembling hands for a few moments before rising to my feet and followed him. How did he even do all of that..? It doesn't matter..It seems as though that I have learned the hard way that he is not an enemy that I should make.

The next few hours were a little uneasy. I rubbed my arm and looked at him sadly. I felt a little bad, I'll admit. But..What could be done..? "Hey..um."

He cut me off, beginning to recite a poem. An all too familiar poem. "A boat, beneath a sunny sky. Lingering onward dreamily in an evening of July- Children three that nestle near, Eager eye and willing ear. Pleased a simple tale to hear- Long has paled that sunny sky: Echoes fade and memories die: Autumn frost have slain July. Still she haunts me, phantom wise. Alice moving under skies. Never seen by waking eyes. Children yet, the tale to hear, Eager eye and willing ear, Lovingly shall nestle near. In a Wonderland they lie, Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die: Ever drifting down the stream - Lingering in the golden gleam - Life, what is it but a dream?"

"Lewis Carroll" I said. "Why did you quote him?"

"I have no idea who this 'Lewis Carroll' is, but everyone in Wonderland knows that poem." He had said with a sigh. "It wasn't always like this, you having to kill each other. Do horrible things to each other."

"What happened?"

"Something bad. Something very very bad. Our wonderful little Alice had her heart tainted. And along with her mind, her dreams began to suffer as well."

"Her dreams?"

"Yes. The world she created and everything with them."

If Alice Liddell was a real person..I wonder what happened to her. She seemed like such an innocent girl in the books. Wait. What am I talking about? It's just a story. It's not real. It's not real..

"How many poems do you know, Len?"

"Plenty."

"Like what?"

"Some meaningful ones." He grinned. "How well are you at understanding our language?"

"Your language?"

"Indeed"

What Language? Whatever..let's find out. "Yes."

He laughed. "Wonderful." His voice seemed to lower in a menacing way as he spoke the next poem. " `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe. `Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!' He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought - So rested he by the Tumtum tree, And stood awhile in thought. And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went galumphing back. `And has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! He chortled in his joy. `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe."

He looked over his shoulder at me. "Translate it! What does it mean!" He demanded.

I know this poem..the famous poem of the Jabberwocky. But almost everything he said, they weren't real words. Just..Vocabulary vomit being spewed into a form of poetry for a children's book. But some how..I knew it all..as if it were a second language to me. "It's the story of how the chosen one slayed the Jabberwocky with the Vorpal Sword..everyone knows that.."

"Heheh..ooohhh if only you had been here for those times..during that war when so many people died..carried off by the JubJub bird. Nobody knows what happened to them. Never saw them again." His laughter had that maniacal cackle in it once again. "And the blood! Oh the blood that there was!"

"Are you okay...?"

"Fabulous! Because when this crusade is over, praise shall be given! We'll move on to the next and the next! Whatever makes her Majesty happy! Ahahaha!"

"Her..majesty..?" Did he mean one of the Alice's..?

"Heh..heheh..oh..you'll see.."

Do I _want_ to see..? Probably not. Of course though, it's just my luck to be stuck with this lunatic in the middle of no where. Rin..I hope you're okay..just hang in there a little bit longer.

Our walk had lead us to a path surrounded by blue roses. They were so beautiful, I had never seen blue roses before. I wanted to ask Len about them, though he was still muttering his quiet little insanities. I decided against it. The further we walked down the path the more I heard a distorted sound coming ahead. It was a horrible song being sung.

"I'm a pretty blue rabbit. Here is my territory" The voice sang. "If someone ever takes you from me, I'd rather eat you." What were these awful words. "Master we'll be together forever. You died in red. This is a poor blue-red rabbit song"

"That was..interesting." A sweet voice piped up. "But try singing something a lot more..happier! And..less creepy.." A young girl said.

I know that voice. It's her!

I ran past my double as fast as I could. Turning the corner I could see a tall wall of bushes with an arched opening. She was behind there, I know it! I ran closer and closer. Calling out to her. "Rin!"


	7. Deceitful Shadows

**_Been taking advantage of the study hall I didn't want to do these._**

* * *

The beginning of the hedge made was wide and spacious. Rose bushes of white, blue and red decorated the ground and walls of the shrubbery. Near the entrance would be a white gazebo, the roses grew up the sidings like vines and fully bloomed, looking as healthy as ever.

Within the gazebo, there would be a small round table with a set of two chairs. What was resting on the table looked to be tea cups and saucers along with a brewing pot. Occupying the chairs was an older man with dark blue hair and matching eyes. His frame looked like a fair build for his age. He wore a proper pair of trousers, a white button up shirt with a vest, and a long blue scarf wrapped around his neck.

I couldn't quite make out the second person, they were to far away. I dared to get closer, creeping behind the rose bushes to conceal myself. I was doing quite well at staying quiet for a little white, until I had tripped over something that had made a loud 'clang' when I had hit it. I managed to keep myself silent, however. The two drinking tea dismissed the ruckus as some form of animal. I was safe for now.

But what was that I had tripped over? Turning around, I had found the culprit. There, rusted over and half buried would be a decently sized can with a broken handle. The inside was crusted over with what felt like puddy. I brushed the rust and dirt off of the label so that I could figure out what it was. And on the once white label in large black letters stated my answer.

**Red Paint**

In Alices Adventures In Wonderland, It said that Alice had stumbled upon a garden of white roses. Scrambling around the said garden were large playing cards of lower suits and numbers, carrying around brushes and cans of paint. They were frantically painting the white roses they had accidentally planted red, so that the Queen of Hearts would not chop off their heads. This couldn't be one of the same paint cans... could it?

I shook my head and turned to peek over the bushes. There was no time to be thinking about such frivolous things!

I could see her clearly now. The gray overalls, the white, perky bow that rested on top of her head. It was her! She was alive!

"Rin!" I called out to her, running out from behind the rose bush that had kept me hidden. She looked up at me, her face brightening up with sheer excitement. She stood from her chair and jumped off of the gazebo, calling out my name as she ran to me with outstretched arms. "Len!"

We met half way and held each other in a tight embrace. It felt so grand to have her by my side once again. I never wanted this feeling to go away. If I ever lost Rin, I don't know what I would do.

"A friend of yours, Rin?" A mans voice said, his shadow casting over us. I looked up to see the blue haired gentleman standing near us. Rin smiled and spoke to him as if they were old friends.

"Kaito, this is my brother, Len!"

"Oh my, so _you're_ her little brother? How do you do." He said with a kind smile, extending his hand forward. "I've heard so much about you, Len."

I glanced towards Rin, who gave me a reassuring nod, and I shook his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is all mine." There was a long pause while he stared at me. Even Rin looked confused by this. At long last he spoke again, although his words seemed concerning. "Oh me, Len. You don't seem to have a shadow." he said with a nervous tone.

"A shadow?" I asked, looking around for it. He was right. It wasn't there.

Rin gave a slight pout and looked up at Kaito. "What does it mean? What happened to it?"

"Well," he started. "It's nothing to be alarmed about..yet."

" 'Yet'?" I don't like the sound of that.

"Yes, 'yet'. You see kids, seeing as you're new, there are things about Wonderland you still might not understand yet."

"There's more?" Rin said with a groan.

"Much more" Kaito gave her a sad smile and ruffled her hair. "For example, there is another world replicated to this one. Where all of our reflections and shadows live. For simplicity, we call it 'Underland'. The two worlds coexist with each other to set a balance, for one world is good, and the other is very bad."

Two worlds. Wonderland and Underland. I have never heard of Underland before, it wasn't in the books. It looks as though the story is changing itself. My thoughts were interrupted by Rin.

"But we're in the good one, right?"

Kaito began to lead us back towards the gazebo. "To tell the truth, Rin, nobody knows."

"What does this have to do with my shadow being gone?"

"Oh, right. Well, putting it bluntly, it means you're possibly going to go insane."

"...what?"

"Yes, sadly, its true. When your shadow leaves, it takes a part of your mind with it. Slowly, you build a sense of fear and paranoia of things around you. You forget where you were going and how you got to where you are.. it even gets to the point where you do not recognize people anymore. You treat them as you enemy because you're afraid they'll hurt you..so you hurt them before they can even touch you.."

"Can you get your shadow back?"

"Sure you can." he said with a timid laugh. "Do you _want_ it back is the real question."

Rin and I exchanged puzzled expressions and looked back at Kaito. "Why wouldn't you?"

"heh..well you see..once shadows figure out that they can come and go as they please, they run off for days on end, experiencing and seeing the horrors that lurk in the darkness of the worlds. Shadows are big pranksters and they find it rather amusing when we cry..scream..shake in terror..they get some form of pleasure from it..and if they do decide to come back, they bring..awful images into your mind with them..it's..quite terrifying really. To have this creature know every detail about your life...just so they can use it against you." He laughed loudly. This must have been something he had endured. He spoke as if from experience.

A tight grip had coiled itself around my arm. Rin stared up at Kaito in horror. "Is Len going to be all right..? Is there anything he could do..?"

Kaito looked away, giving her questions some though. "Don't dwell on your fears..don't trust your reflections. Don't speak to anyone who looks like you, aside from Rin, that is. And..most importantly.." He turned back to us, showing a crooked grin. "Don't let it kill you."

"K-kill me..?"

"Indeed. If a shadow succeeds in killing its body..then it will have the ability of taking it over, to be that person, and do whatever it wanted." He looked down at his own Shadow, laughing a bit, the hint of fear now in his voice. "Isn't that right..?"

So the other me is my Shadow? I'm not surprised that I don't notice it was gone. A shadow isn't ordinarily something you keep track of. I guess that's something else I need to worry about.

"Now then! Kaito exclaimed, clapping his hands together cheerfully. "How about we see what's happening at the street fair?"

"Street fair?"

"But Kaito!" Rin yelled, tugging on his sleeve. "What about your song? What will you sing?"

"Not to worry, little rabbit." he patted her head. I'm assuming he said 'rabbit' because of her bow. "I will figure out something."

And so we walked into the maze. Before the arched door was out of sight, I looked back towards the forest, wondering if Len was still in there.

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**_Youtube- Song Title: [Kaito] Story About A Poor Rabbit._**

**_More chapters coming soon! New Imitation Black coming up 3  
_**


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